In preparation for the release of Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch, which hits theaters tomorrow, Warner Brothers has released several videos that fill in some of the “back story” from the film. I say “back story” in quotes because without giving too much away, much of the film takes place in imagined worlds. These short films help to supplement the movie’s world-building efforts in a really stylish and effective (if not a bit over-the-top) way.

Hit the jump to see the short films, and feel free to leave your comments on them below.
These actually remind me a lot of the short films in The Animatrix, both in style and in their purpose. But I think these are slightly less effective, because whereas The Animatrix helped to explain the reality of The Matrices, these only help explain the imagined reality of Sucker Punch. It’s difficult to take something too seriously when you’re culling it from the half-remembered fantasy of your protagonist. That being said, the short films look amazing and I can always (always!) use more Keith David narration in my life.

The shorts are feature original animation by Ben Hibon, who has done work on films such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as well as the stylish videogame Killer7. According to Snyder (via GeekTyrant), “It made sense to me to not only approach the worlds from an original direction in terms of story and focus…but also to really push the visual style in a different direction as well. Having seen his contribution to the latest Harry Potter film and looking at some of his other recent work, Ben’s talent was obvious and his aesthetic felt like a perfect fit. His work is graphic and visually arresting.”

One last note: while I don’t consider these short films to be spoiler-y, I do think they are most effective when watched after you’ve viewed Sucker Punch. Still, if you can’t wait for your Zack Snyder dose, view to your hearts content: